


How do you love without saying ‘I love you’?

by TheChatWithClaws



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Noir is not, F/M, Fluff, LadyNoir - Freeform, They start to dwell on the future, ladybug is good with children, protective chat, they basically find a child
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-07
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2019-06-23 13:57:08
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,163
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15607764
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheChatWithClaws/pseuds/TheChatWithClaws
Summary: Love is essential for life. It’s in our being, our soul and infused into bones. But how do we express it without saying ‘I love you’. How can you get your point across without saying those words? These two hero’s don’t need to say it because they know just by looking the other in the eye, because once Love blossoms those words become a mantra. A whisper within every interaction. These two have delt with problems and challenges before but how will they cope when they must think of the future? Their future..





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t know where this is going.

Patrols had become routine things for them by now. I mean why wouldn't they? And the only complications that occurred were relatively small: a small time burglar, a kitten stuck up a tree, a Chat Noir stuck up a tree. You know, usual things. The people knew that their city was guarded against by the fearless fighting duo so crime had dropped exponentially over the past 3 years. 

But one night a complication occurred of a different sort. 

Ladybug's bell-like laughter and sweet chase kisses gave Chat the energy needed to leave the mundane mess of the civilian world and join her in the world they'd created above the unsuspecting residence of Paris. They were leisurely lounging in a tangle of limbs atop a gazebo, abandoned and uncared for it had grown into a tiny green house that was often occupied by a plethora of species, two of which being a black cat and a ladybug who enjoyed the occasional silence it would bring. 

"Shouldn't we be, I don't know, protecting the city right about now?" 

He hummed in response."Maybe."

And then tugged her closer into the crook of his arm eliciting a small but audible gasp from her. It was fascinating to see how even after a year of sinful make out sessions and less than child-friendly banter he could still make her squeak and blush. It was fascinating to see how even after hearing his name moaned out by the girl in the dead of night the sound of a mere gasp could still send shivers down his spine and utterly unravel him. 

Recovering from the unexpected contact the red clad hero turned to look up at her cat. Who graced her with the most genuinely heartwarming smile, the sweetness threatening to give her cardiac arrest if she didn't look away. 

"We can continue our escapades as soon as we finish patrol. Okay?" She asked like a mother bargaining with a child. 

"May I have a kiss My Lady, before we depart?" He replied like a child bargaining back. 

She untangled herself and took a step back to offer him a hand up which he took graciously. "You know you don't need to ask every time right?"

He sent her an exaggerated 'pffft' twirling her around and gently tugging her to the edge of the wooden structure. "I know that. But I can't help it, it feels wrong to just kiss you without your permission." He looked towards the small pond currently occupied by a small family of ducks. 

"I understand. It's fine I don't mind, but I just wanted you to know." Resting her head on his shoulder she could feel his muscles stiffen and then relax. 

"Plus-" suddenly the shoulder was gone and hastily replaced by a hand gently caressing her cheek. A pair of all too familiar lips latched onto hers for a split second before pulling away. "-when we first started doing this every time we kissed , My Lady, I remember a certain someone getting weak in the knees whimpering Chat C-chat."

She leaned deliciously closer, lining up all sorts of body parts. "Really? Because I distinctly remember it happening the other way round Kitten." Ladybug retorted with a moe of innocence, sliding a delicate hand up his chest to rest on his shoulder. 

"Wanna test that claim My Lady?" The emphasis enough to erase all of her smugness. "How about we then." the remark lightly fanning his lips a silent air cast over them. Their lips meld together, a symphony of music crescendoing in their minds a simultaneous sigh and then.. nothing. Ladybug fumbled forward at the suddenly loss of stabilization, fluttering her eyes open to watch as Chat leapt to the ground with a slight thump. 

A mirth of confusion dominating his features as he paced to and throw. The wind whistled loudly, dislodging autumn leaves from their perches high above that morphed into an ember-like flurry that cascaded down in a whirl of colour. She was down by his side in an instant perplexed watching while he strained his ears almost painfully. 

Fear bubbled up in her stomach and alarm bells rang as the instinctual thought of 'Akuma' wormed it's head into her thoughts and she found herself like so many times before raising her guard into a defending stance. Chat, somehow noting the dismay, murmured "No Akuma-" lifting a hand to gently lower hers "-just listen."

And she tried. She really did, but no matter how hard she stained her ears and block out all background rustling she couldn't hear anything besides the usual city sounds. The mutter of distant cars, the rustling trees, the constant drip-drop of water from a leaky hose was all the heroin could hear, that and the faint breathing of her partner. 

"Follow me."

Chat could hear it more clearly once he had deciphered the direction in which it was coming from, once the quiet whispers of their city were drowned out the miraculous helped immensely in pin pointing the exact sound. And this sound in particular was something uncommon to hear in the dead of night, but it was something so sad and so very painful it couldn't be left unattended. He landed in an oak canopy, just above the sound and by now it's source was certain. The heroin hot on his heels landed beside him not moments later, steadying herself on the swaying branch to behold the sight beneath her with a gasp. "Chat it's -"

There beneath them was "-a child" she finished with a whisper of disbelief.

—————————

To be more precise the little thing was about four, unaccompanied and alone the child had found themselves at the base of a tree with a cat plush as it's only comfort. 

The wail of a child was truly a heartbreaking thing, it dug its way into your soul and brought a sinking feeling to your stomach. It was loud and unignorable and it didn't take a scientist to figure out that a cry in its purest form is simply just another way of desperately saying help me. And it hurt unimaginably to hear, and almost broke something within them, something fundamental to being a superhero itself. Because it meant that they weren't doing something right, that they weren't a super enough superhero to fight whatever demons plagued the minds of those they'd come across. 

The branch swayed again as Chat Noir leapt to the ground to approach the child and now not above but in-front he could see them properly. It was a little boy, in the glow of the moonlight you could make out two sorrowful, puffy blue eyes, trembling lips and tear stained cheeks. He wore a dark onesie and was barefoot cowering beneath the tree, he must of been freezing. 

At the sound of the sudden thump of footsteps he looked up and for a moment the pair locked eyes before the shriekish wailing restarted. Chat Noir staggered forward "No no don't cry!" Taking another step forward he froze when a hand seized his. Glancing back he took in the sight of his partner with a look he'd seen one too many times, it was a look he'd most often seen after an attack where as they make their retreat but not quite before they're out of sight she'd look back with a face of guilt crossed with concern. Guilt because the idea that she could have have prevented it and concern beverage now that person would have to live on with the phantom scars of akumatisation. 

Her gaze was fixated on the boy and then flicked to him "Let me handle this Chat." 

Dumbfounded he nodded, squeezing her hand when she squeezed his. Tentatively she stepped closer taking out her compact to shine the light onto herself, crouching down wincing when the movement scared him more so. "It's okay little one it's just me. Ladybug."

There was a pause where he looked up and stopped his crying to sniffle "Ladybug?" 

Smiling she nodded, opening her arms, "Yeah, It's okay sweetie you're safe." Her voice soft and warm and so very comforting like a hot chocolate on a frosty day. It was at moments like these Chat new why exactly he had fallen for her, because she was kind, because she had the power to do things like this in a world of chaos. 

The boy lifted himself up to his feet stumbling forward, tears still racing down his cheeks and collapsed into her arms. They sat for who knows how long; her holding him and giving her reassurances that he was safe and him gripping her twice as hard searching desperately for comfort. It was a situation he too had found himself in many times before, him bundled up in her arms crying like no tomorrow and she would always be there whispering sweet words of encouragement. And now she was here doing the same for a kid in distress, she had a knack of this kind of thing not like him. Children weren't exactly his forte. 

By now he had calmed down and was slumped against Ladybug, head resting on her shoulder hiccuping now and then with the vice like grip around her neck ever present. "Hey kiddo-" she murmured ,"-do you mind if we move over to that lamp post over there. I don't know about you but the dark gives me the creeps." Keeping her tone hushed they waited for a reply.

He breathed out a near silent "Okay." And gripped every so slightly tighter as she lifted him up to walk them both over to a near by bench, the light of a lamp post casting a white light over the small area. Settling him down she glanced back noticing how Chat had failed to move from where she had left him, now bathed in the darkness only a faint silhouette could be made out along with those ominous eyes that eliminated green at night. She grinned 'just like a real cat'. 

Smirking she motioned for him to come over, frowning when he complied but to then stubbornly park himself at the furthest end of the bench. 

Timidly shuffling from foot to foot, it was almost endearing how awkward he got around children because it wasn't like he hated them, god no. But it was more like he feared them, to him they were small and squishy and fragile. In his mind he was good at one thing and one thing only; destruction, and he was afraid he would hurt them. It made her sad sometimes thinking of how lowly he viewed himself, one day though she would prove to him how important he was to her, how he was so much more than what he thought. 

Returning her attention to the boy she noticed how his breathing had evened and the tears had ceased. He wore a panther onesie that sported it's own little ears and tail, the suited coupled with his scraggly dirty blond hair sending a fond upturn in her lips. "So-" Her voice gaining the attention of both boys "-can you tell me your name?"

"Noah." His gaze was was fixated on her, fiddling with the tips of the heroins fingers. "Are you really Ladybug?" 

An amused puff of air escaped her lips, glad he was no longer sad "Yes, I really am Ladybug." And the way his eyes lit up sent a bolt of joy to her heart. 

"So that means-" he cast his gaze over to the awkward cat "-your really Chat Noir?" The 360 he'd done from being miserable to elated was almost inhuman, he bound to his feet padding across the wood of the bench to where Chat stood. He could feel the little awestruck eyes taking him in, from the belt round his waist to the ears atop his head. Like he was being inspected. Uncomfortable he shifted his eyes over to his Lady silently pleading for help which she then unhelpfully replied by giving him a thumbs up mouthing 'it's fine.' 

With no hesitation at all he chuckled "Yeah I'm the real deal." Gaining an over dramatic gasp from the boy. He was practically buzzing with excitement, rushing back over to Ladybug to grab his plushie proudly exclaiming,

"This is Chaton Noire-" passing the cat over he pointed at its cat ears and tail "-she looks just like you!"

Carefully taking the cat he minded his claws inspecting it over, his actual ears twitching when Ladybug lifted herself to her feet and padded over to seat herself on the side of the bench closer. 

Turning the toy on its side he took note of how the stitching although mostly seamless showed an air of being lovingly handmade, with pieces of lace embroidered into the fabric and a painted button as a bell, clearly the creator was someone of boundless talent. 

Passing it back he motioned to Chaton Noire "You're right! She's just like me! Don't you think My Lady?" Cocking an eyebrow he lent closer pushing his face to the plush's own in a childlike display. 

Gasping over dramatically she put a hand to her head in mock dismay. "Two Chats? How will I ever cope?" 

Noah giggled, retracting his arms to pull Chaton Noire into a tight embrace, squishing his own face into hers. "You two are funny-" his grin joyful as he watched the pair spare an amused glance to one another "-I've watched you fight bad guys on TV and my Momma said that if I needed help I could always come to you. Right?" His eyes scanned theirs. 

"We wouldn't be superhero's is we didn't help people."

Pondering, he furrowed his eyebrows deep in thought at her response, the serious tone etched into his childlike features brought an almost comical air to him. A child in thought is the strangest thing, their eyebrows scrunch together and a deeply unrealistic pout can overtake their lips, something Marinette knew too well from her years of babysitting Manon. They were pocket sized drama queens, small and fierce and incredibly annoying at times but nonetheless adorable. 

"I got angry at my Momma when she wouldn't let me stay up so-so-so I um-" his eyes welled up ever so slightly "-when she left the room I ran out the front door and I tried to get to my Antie's house but I- I got lost and I couldn't get home." Furiously rubbing at his eyes he looked from hero to hero "But you can help me get Home. Right?" 

Sending a smile of reassurance Chat knelt down. "We're hero's, of course we can help you get home. Cats honour." His voice was gentle and cautious but no doubt truthful. 

"Alright." His eyes glistened and although still afraid he knew he was safe.


	2. Chapter 2

"Okay so can you tell me anything else?" It had been close to an hour now since the initial finding of Noah and still no luck of finding his Mother, and they were rounding to the end of an exhausting half hour search where in Chat had wound up scouring the neighbouring houses while Ladybug stayed with Noah as he tried to describe every defining detail of his home but to no avail. 

At one point the house was grey then light blue, there were pink roses and now there were red ones and somewhere along the line flamingoes had been mentioned. It was all in shambles by the end. 

The kid thought long and hard. "I think the roof is like a dark grey."

"So that's a no then. LB I'm coming back maybe we should rethink this and get the police involved."

"I was thinking the same thing, seems like the only other option. Alright, well get back quickly Minou." 

"Gladly, My Lady" And the call ended. 

They were sat in the middle of the bench swaddled in a polka dotted blanket, a minute before he had shivered violently and she realised how incredibly cold he must be, barefoot and in nothing but a onesie so she immediately called upon lucky charm. A gasp escaped his lips as his eyes lit up at the swarm of ladybugs that danced around them in a flurry that soon disbanded taking the soft glow of pink light away with it. 

They sat absorbed in their own thoughts when the silence was broken as Noah raised to stretch and yawned far louder than what is considered necessary. "Do you like being a superhero?"

Ladybug raised an eyebrow shifting to pull the blanket tighter around his shoulders. "Do I like being a superhero? Never been asked that one before." She pondered her response for a moment thinking and rethinking her responses. "I mean yes of course I love being a superhero. I can see and do things that no one else can and I can do it all with my Chat Noir."

"Your Chat Noir?" He sent her a puzzled expression. 

"Well who else's would he be if he's not mine. I'm his Lady and he's my Minou." She leaned back, putting her full weight onto the bench to gaze at the night sky. 

Noah mirrored her pose and followed her gaze upwards. "Do you get scared?"

"Sometimes.." 

She thought of all the late nights with Chat Noir in a tangle of limbs atop rooftops balling her eyes out while he stroked her hair, trailing sweet kisses across her skin, whispering kind words of encouragement. Of all the nights she'd woken up in a cold sweat, hyperventilating and cheeks tear-stained. All the panic attacks and depressed lows stressing over what could have been and what could be. 

"Being a superhero is dangerous, and sometimes we get hurt."

"-but you've got your Miraculous cure right?" He interjected. 

"Pain isn't always something physical Love. Sometimes it's emotional. And sometimes I worry about this city, and it's people-" turning she met his intense stare "-I worry about people like you and that makes me afraid." Her voice trailed off at the end becoming softer and near silent. 

"Oh-" he looked away and down to Chaton "-my momma says it's brave for people to say what they're scared of." 

"Your Momma sounds like a smart person."

"The smarty-est." the wind had picked up and the sound of footsteps padding over caught their attention. 

Chat Noir emerged out of the darkness to slink into the light and slump down against Ladybugs side letting out a groan. "Jezz do you know how hard it is to find some random bench in the middle of a park. I must've past like a dozen of them before finding you." 

Ladybug smirked wrapping an arm around her boyfriend in a half embrace, sinking her fingertips into his mop of hair "Sorry Minou. But you know you could have used the tracker right?" She rebutted slightly amused. 

He groaned, rocking off the bench to roll onto the floor, "Why didn't I think of that." He continued to flubber causing the two others to start giggling which turned into full on rib tickling laughter that echoed through the trees and broke the calm silence of the forest. Ladybug looked to her cat with tears in her eyes. 

'How on earth did he sweep me of my feet?'  

She watched through thick eyelashes as he rose to a sitting position, one leg bent and the other sprawling itself on the floor as he lent back on both hands to give her the most dopy smile, a wild tuft of hair hung loose between his eyes. Sometimes, well most of the time, Chat would just look at her, his blonde hair illuminated like a halo in the dim lighting of the street lamp, with the most lovestruck smile. As if she singlehandedly contained every beautiful thing the universe had ever conjured up in the very fabric of her skin. And it sent her heart into a frenzy. 

'Oh yeah, that's how..'

Their gazes momentarily locked before a piercing set of beeps filled the air, lifting a hand to her ear she mentally cursed herself for being so careless and forgetting about the lucky charm she'd used minutes before. 

An annoyed puff of air escaped her lips as she stood and turned to tug at the blanket "Come on Kiddo I need to recharge and the blanket can't stay." Her voice although not strict had an air of authority and so somewhat reluctantly he complied, releasing the blanket taking sudden interest in a loose nail protruding from the bench. 

Chat Noir stood also, scampering over to his Lady as she rounded a tree making for cover. But before he could reach her the all too familiar pink glow of detransformation stopped him in his tracks. Colliding with the tree with a disorienting thump he blamed his stupidity for not noticing how low she was low on time cursing himself again for almost ruining the whole 'secret identities' thing. 

And then the feeling he'd felt too many times before bubbled up in his stomach and scratched at his brain. Curiosity. Because there were too many situations where he could have found out who the girl he'd been having midnight make out sessions with was. Too many close calls and near misses. And he was sick with himself for wanting to want her. It was an insatiable hunger he felt at times like these where his brain and heart where in complete disarray, the whole desire vs rationality debate gnawing at his insides. 

Ladybug being Ladybug would always sense this. And every time she'd remind him of that same promise, the same one that he knew she'd say now. That one little phrase that would put his mind at ease and dissolve all lingering doubts. 

"..one day."

There it was. The one little thing that made everything that little tiny bit better.

He observed as a lithe hand blindly reaching behind the large tree's body in search of his and he gladly allowed it to. "..one day" he thought aloud repeating her words. There was a beat of silent where he turned her hand over in his palm revelling in the idea of holding her hand gloveless before kneeling to place the gentlest of gentle kisses to her knuckles. In rare moments like these both hearts would squeeze and writhe in agony yearning for the others touch, where both were falling so hard they'd forgotten what solid ground felt like beneath their feet. In moments like these the mantra of  '..one day ...one day ..one day' sang loudest in their heads.

"I need to refuel so please watch Noah-"

"-but.."

"Minou, please watch him." Using her stern voice to get her point across, giving his hand a light squeeze. "I know you don't feel comfortable with children but trust me-" all seriousness dissolved from her tone "-I've babysat worse. And I mean much worse, like one time two years ago some lil shit put one of my sketchbooks into the oven and tried to cook them, cook them.'

He let out an amused scoff. "Really?"

"Really. Now go, he's really sweet just talk to him-" he watched as her hand slowly retracted already missing her touch he turned to walk back, halting when her voice perked back up all smug and sly "-You're Chat-fricken-Noir after all, nothing can stop you." 

Man his Lady was a tease "Oh I think we both know that couldn't be any less true, Bugaboo."

"Oh, well then, pray tell what formidable force could possibly stop the all mighty harborer of destruction?"

Turning on his heel he threw his head back to peer at the tree and with a smirk proclaimed "Not a what, My Lady, but a who." 

She listened and waited for the soft crunch of leaves to fade into nothingness to slide down the tree and welcome the stone cold ground, fully prepared for it to swallow her whole. With a dopey grin plastered across her face she made the mental note to kiss him senseless afterwards. 

—————————

Trust was never a thing Marinette was overly good at as herself and that only amplified once becoming a superhero, the Volpina incident not being a particular help and yet the trust between the duo had always remained unwavering. If she was ever in need of a saviour to show up and save the day she knew that it would be her partner without a doubt, and if her partner were ever in need of a rescuer she would be there in a heartbeat. 

Ladybug would never doubt how true his love for her ran, and she just hoped that since she'd finally fallen for him that her love had become apparent, become true to him, as much as it could be because he was her world; her moon and stars and hopefully future too. And if she had to spend every minute of their days reminding him of his worth she would. 

When they were trapped and needed to detransform or in situations like this, she trusted him to keep his eyes closed just as she trusted herself to so as well. Chat Noir had never and will let her down, and while it may have started off a little awkward, things had gotten better as time passed, much much better. And one day, hopefully soon, they'd know the biggest thing about themselves but until then they'd need to settle with what they had and what they had was each other. 

Marinette kept her eyes firmly glued to the tree canopy soaking in the view of moonlight trickling down through the leaves. Letting out a sigh she opened her coat pocket revealing the baggy of slightly crushed cookies handing one to Tikki before offering one to herself. 

"I know it hurts Love, but one day it will all be worth it." Pressing the lightest of kisses to her chosens' head as way of comfort floating back to gaze fondly at the young women before her, Tikki revelled in the life Marinette had made for herself. 

Superheroes had burdens to carry and too many times had she seen them sacrificing their personal lives, their opportunities and their happiness for the sake of others. She'd watched the strongest of the strong become broken and weary, she'd bared witness to the birth of young love and was there till it's death, until neither could carry on with or without the other. Young Romeos and Juliets dying before their time because they'd become so enamoured with the other the very thought of separation would spark unsettling thoughts at the back of their minds making them reckless and unpredictable. She was there with tear-filled eyes as the people with the most contagious of laughters lost that light in their eyes that made them so special. 

And then pairs like these would come along, rare gems that never depended solely on the other but instead worked in tandem dealing with the strengths and weaknesses of the other with a smile on their faces and a hand on the others heart. Those have and always will be her favourites. 

They sat in silence, each swimming in their own thoughts totally unaware of a certain black cat perched at the end of a bench desperately trying to avoid eye contact from a certain prying child. 

——————-

He had managed to dodge most questions so far with a quick nod or dismissive shrug but children are strange things. They never take no for an answer and can be so persuasive, he'd recently read an article on the psychology of children and it compared them to sociopaths. SOCIOPATHS! Yes they were small and delicate and squishy but they can be like little devils when you turn your back. 

Being an only child as well as a someone shut away from the rest of society Adrien had become quite accustomed to his little world of schedules. The only people he got to see as a child were much older; posh adults who liked to make small talk at company parties and modelling gigs. And that's how he thought life was and then suddenly he would start noticing things. It wasn't much to dwell on at first but gradually over time he realised that the way he lived his life was somehow different to the others his age; he'd see them running and playing in the park while he had to sit in a stuffy car listening to the adults drone on about money and costs, he watched from the window every Christmas to see families out laughing and smiling without a care in the world. 

And no matter how hard he thought he could never quite pinpoint the exact moment his sad existence had become his reality. Sitting inside just waiting for someone to burst though the door to say 'hey kiddo I'm done with work, you wanna go out for some ice cream?' 

To be fair wishing for that would be like asking for the moon. But was it so much to ask for a parent to come in just to say Goodnight? To kiss him on the head and say sweet dreams? Well it was for him. 

He remembered the first time he really interacted with a child and it was right after an attack. The image of his city set ablaze flashed in his mind and the faint sickly feeling he felt that day swam in his stomach. He remembered the screams echoing through alleys and amplified due to the cat powers and he had the foggy memory of doubling over, hands to his ears in an attempt to block out the world, letting out his own earth shattering shriek adding to the surrounding chaos, then a pair a hands coupling his cheeks and his partners eyes so very close to his. The feeling of spandex on his naked skin foreign and strange and yet so very comforting as he mouthed a broken 'make it stop' tears rolling down his cheeks. His world blackening as he screwed he his eyes shut and then yet again those very hands minutes later prying his leather bound hands away from his ears, so he could behold the silence of the city no longer in pieces and his partners gorgeous gaze once again. 

The image of a young girl no older than ten sat a few feet away with tears in her own eyes and a torn dress seared into the back of his mind, her small frame shook as she cried and he took notice of how tiny she was. She was small and frail and now some asshole out there had put her though something that would scar her for the rest of her life. Children needed to be protected and he would stop at nothing to fulfil that promise. But he was the guardian of destruction the harbourer of bad luck, all he was meant to do was cause suffering so until the day he was no longer Chat Noir he would always be afraid of hurting others, children especially. 

"-Noir.. CHAT NOIR?!" He was then abruptly pulled from his thoughts and greeted with Noah sat uncomfortably close and with the most adorably concerned look plastered across his small features. "Are you okay?" 

Trying to hide the mini heart attack he had had he recoiled sliding back ever to slightly to create space between them. "I'm -I'm fine." 

"You surrrrreeee..?" The constant prying showing his true age and Chat's refusal hiding his. So much for being a responsible young adult. 

Noah let out a loud huff, falling back against the bench to kick his feet up into Chats lap all the while humming some off beat tune falling in and out of a sleepy daze "You're weird." He muttered. 

"I know." And he knew he was and he was proud of that fact. Crabbing his neck to the sky he took in the view of the darkened star kissed canvas laid out before him and thought of his Lady's bluenette locks. How they'd feel in his hands and on his skin, yep he was definitely weird. But he loved her, and love can make people weird. 

He remembered the first time she'd ever said I love you. I mean how could he forget? It was mid November and the temperature had dropped exponentially, it was one of those peaceful evenings under the orange sky at the crossroads of day and night. The soft glow of the sun bouncing off her hair creating a halo worthy of making an angel jealous. She had been quiet the days prior and he feared he had offended her somehow. She turned to meet his intense gaze, stiffening once they locked eyes a million emotions fluttering in her mind. 

The feel of a tentative hand reaching out for his ingrained in his memories, and a smile so soft kittens would purr just from the sight. She turned for only the briefest of moments before his world melted as she looked up to him, eyes glistening over with joyous tears, and she uttered the words that he'd only dreamt of hearing 'I love you Alley cat.' And then suddenly he was the one with tears in his eyes and a smile so bright it was almost blinding. 

Now that was a memory he'd never willingly forget. 

"Chat Noir?" He was all of a sudden pulled from him thoughts when a young voice spoke. "Do you love Ladybug?"

Chats head whipped to look at his side "Why do you ask?" His eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Noah shrugged, yanking the hood of the onesie over her head to shield his face from the gentle coldness of the breeze.  

"I don't know."

Chat returned to his star gazing with a fond smile gracing his lips "I love her with ever fibre of my being. She's my Lady and I'm her Minou." 

Noah grunted in acceptation, a moment of déjà vu crossing his mind, disappearing before it ever really came.

"Do you wanna marry her?" The question was innocent enough but something about the way he said it made the query seem invasive. Marriage is something that he's thought of 'yes' but the idea of them actually living together and being that close seemed terrifying. The concept of being able to wake up every morning and fall asleep every night next to the woman he loved had always seemed like a distant dream, but was it really that far from his grasp? 

Their dynamic would change, as things do, and they could change to become something better than anything his imagination could ever concoct. But then again it could also change to become something else, something neither of them would want. Where they were now wasn't ideal, but he wouldn't change it. If they could stay at this point in time forever always together and happy he would take it. Because the future is full of uncertainty, it's full of something so big and complicated and uncontrollable. But the present is always there, staring you in the face for you to live within, never surprising you or testing you, but freeing you instead. 

But sadly the world moves on even if you don't want it to. He would love to propose, to hear her say 'yes' and 'I do', to move into an apartment not so big it felt empty and not so small it felt cramp. To be there 24/7 and not just when the masks are on but every moment of everyday, physically and emotionally. He would like to know those little things that you can only know once truly together; would she hog the blankets? How much sugar does she like in her tea? What would a sleepy good morning kiss feel like against his temple? or taste like against his lips?

He wanted to know what kind of clothes she wore and places she liked. What her favourite cereal was and wether or not she fought as strongly as him in the whole 'milk should never go in the bowl first' debate. He wanted to know it all, and that could only happen if he let time do it's thing. 

"One day I'd love to marry her because like I said, I love her-" 

"-How do you know you love her?"

"These are some deep questions for a kid." And they were, Noah was an inquisitive little guy. "But it's just a feeling it's-it's hard to explain exactly what kind of feeling it's like-"

"-love?" Noah sat up all fatigue vanishing as his thirst for knowledge urged him into the world of the awake. 

Chat thought it over in his mind, thinking before rethinking his answer. "In a way it is love but at the same time it's not."

"That's dumb!" 

"How so?" The sound of the feminine voice drew their attention, Ladybug stood slouched against the lamp post arms crossed behind her concealing something yet unknown, whilst a knowing grin played at her lips.

**Author's Note:**

> I still don’t know where this is going.


End file.
